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Snowy Owl

10 years ago

We have had many reports of Snowy Owls in our region this year. Not typical at all. I saw 5 at Presque Isle State Park today.

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Comments (14)

corunum z6 CT
10 years ago
Beautiful bird and the picture is stunning - great background to highlight this young owl. You are lucky! Very happy for you that you got to see one, much less 5! Lovely.

Jane
catherinet
10 years ago
WOW!
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No ice here, thankfully, but Saucy's area keeps coming up on the news as being "worst hit." 1 million people are without power in MA and NH and having been through those areas a lot, the prediction that power will be back on by mid-next week seems optimistic. Yesterday crews from the service side of my work were gathering donations to bring with them: those in-pocket handwarmers, warm socks, plastic bags to use as raingear, candles, hot cocoa and instant coffee mix, little gas grills, anything that might help them and and residents be a bit more comfortable. I'm sure Rich will be getting in touch with some organization to see if he can help in some way -- it's just too close to us to not do anything when we were untouched. Kyle has decided he wants "my people" for his graduation, so I'm digging out old phone numbers and making the pot luck dinner list. This should be quite fun, and today he, Rich and I will collectively decide if his paternal family will be here or if we will have them do their own thing. Two extraordinarily different approaches to celebration mean that "separate" is sometimes the more comfortable way to go. We'll see. Thank You Cindy (I think it was Cindy) who suggested fondue. You have just resolved my "what do I do for breakfast" question since it seems that that's the one Holiday mean for which I'll be responsible. Thinking of using thick French Toast and warm syrup, fruit with lightened chocolate and/or vanilla based dipping sauce...the possibilities are endless. One less thing to think about! LOL, Sue, about the old boyfriend. I'd be nosy too but also be careful, please!!!! It amazed and continues to amaze me how brazen men can be toward recently single women, like we couldn't possibly get along without a "dangler" by our side or at least on call. From experience, don't register on Classmates or any other from-the-past networking site, the loonies will be at your door in a heartbeat. Thanks for the cow tail link, Cynthia, and my god dogs thank you too :-) Did Hope arrive as trained as she is? Re the Topiarys: I still plan to post mine on Dec 20 in anticipation of the Solstice, and hope lots of others join in, semi-leafless or structured plants or not. Just sounds like fun. This weekend will be comprised of a "putz list" of cool stuff I've wanted to do (those Salvias really need to get out of the garage and downstairs) and just kicking back. Wind chills will be in the single digits but heck, why do I have a bathtub with warm water if not to indulge after freezing my keester off to save some random terra cotta?? LOL Waving to all, and really hope that friends to the immediate north are staying warm. Martie
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Again, wonderful pics. What is it about the eyes of a bird of prey that just stun you for a moment? I have always liked looking into the eyes of barred owls because of their all-dark appearance, but the contrast of that deep golden yellow against the white plumage....it's so striking. For the record, Vonyon, I have seldom been able to walk up on an owl in the woods. I usually don't even know they are around until they are already swooping away to put some distance between us. THe times I have been close to them are the ones where I sat very very still and called them in. The first time this happened to me it was a big shock.I was bent over at the waist walking through knee deep water and shuffling my feet slowly to see what was living in the leaf litter. I had on a camo jacket and my face was not turned up and I guess the owl did not recognize me as a human. I was still bent over, staring at the water when I saw its reflection swoop in low and glide to a branch about 15 feet over my head. It was all I could do not to snap erect in surprise. Sometimes when I am alone in the woods, I mumble to myself, other times I might whistle or hum a song. Sometimes I am totally silent, but my favorite thing is to try and mimic animal noises and that day I had been hooting like a barred owl off and on for a few minutes. Kinda like singing in your car or talking to yourself in the bread aisle--things you do when no one else is around. Only I wasn't alone there in the creek and it was a shock when the owl showed up. And there I was stuck like a bent hairpin. I knew I had to eventually stand up but I knew the owl would see and probably hear any twitch. Luckily, by watching its reflection I noticed that every once it a while it would swivel its head around to the east to look at other things, and I would wait for that one moment and then raise my upper body bit by bit back to an upright position. I think now they call this Pilates.....it took a while of start and stop but I finally made it, but I was still looking down at the water. I have heard that even if you are well hidden from an animal, if they see your eyes it's all over. I waited again for the right moment, and then finally lifted my head to look directly at the bird while it was again turned east. When it spun back around and down to check on this strange lumpy hooting thing in the creek we were finally looking directly at each other. I could not believe those huge dark eyes, not at all like GHO eyes. Look right through you. Its head shifted a bit, and I don't know if it was my eyes or maybe a subtle twitch on my part but it had had enough of me. It flapped maybe three times and then dropped to a low glide off through the birches. I have only been this close to owls in a normal setting maybe three other times, and all three were responding to calls. But ahead of my experience in the creek I never knew it could work like that.
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Thank you all! >>On the pics you posted today, did you use a stand or hold the camera?I was holding the camera, shooting from the cars sunroof. It was such a thrill doing this, my heartbeat went thru the roof, LOL, we, [my wife shooting with the canon S2IS from the side window] where fortunate to witness such a.....perhaps ones in a life time experience. I'm still in disbelieve! Snowy Owls have been rare the last about 10 years, ...this could be of scars food source in the artic tundra, where they breed and have young ones. >>Congratulations on your new camera!Thank you Doris & juanital... I should have mentioned, brand new shots this weekend, it has confused some of you.....sorry! Have used my very first digital camera from over a year ago, Santa got a new tele lens for this last Christmas. Konrad
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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
10 years ago
Great pic of a fantastic bird! Presque Isle State Park sounds like the perfect place for an adventurous young Snowy Owl to winter over.

Claire
tmff
10 years ago
Very neat photo.

I hate to be "that " person (I always hate how people sound when they say these types of things) but Snowies that irrupt this far south- even to Presque Isle- tend to be stressed and starved. This message is to all that read this (not directed at the original poster)- be sure to keep your distance from these birds. Photograph from afar. We've lost a few in my state already this winter from starvation and/or injury and I know none of us want to further stress these far-traveled visitors.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
10 years ago
Good point, TMFF. And adding to the stress is the fact that native birds, such as Peregrine Falcons, attack the owls that enter their territory.

Snowy Owl vs. Peregrine Falcon - Cape May, New Jersey

Claire
blueangel
10 years ago
Great photo
crunchpa
Original Author
10 years ago
It seems the Snowy Owl sightings are up in some other regions. There was a national story about one in North Carolina or somewhere close to that. There is chatter on the Pa bird website about the eastern side of Pa. I would think this would be a good sign as far as the status of the Snowy Owl. Birds die in travel and get eaten too. Its just part of it all. I think the interest of these visitors by bird watchers ultimately is a positive for the owls, eagles, or whatever catches peoples fancy. There was a report of 14 Snowy Owls counted at Presque Isle. We have thousands of ducks on the bay at times. I wonder if that was the attraction. Thanks for the positive feedback on the photo!
tmff
10 years ago
Yes- this has been another irruption year for the most part. Not quite 2011's numbers but a good amount have come down this year, especially in the eastern states. Snowy Owl irruptions are cyclical: good food sources result in more offspring, more offspring result in food shortages. Snowies migrate this far south for food. They are very out of their element here and they do this out of desperation. Many of these Snowies never make it back to the Arctic. It's just something to keep in mind as we enjoy these rare viewing opportunities; the Snowy Owls we are viewing are most likely in a stressed state. Thanks for posting the beautiful photo.

This post was edited by TMFF on Thu, Dec 26, 13 at 15:45
tmff
10 years ago
Here is a good piece from eBird about it all. From the big invasion a couple of years ago and the associated stress these birds endure.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/got-snowies/

This post was edited by TMFF on Fri, Dec 27, 13 at 10:59
crunchpa
Original Author
10 years ago
Another article.

Here is a link that might be useful: N. J. sees invasion from snowy owls
crunchpa
Original Author
10 years ago
The owls seem to be dining on the abundance of ducks in Presque Isle Bay. We saw several carcasses on the beach. I believe they are all looking well fed.
crunchpa
Original Author
10 years ago
One more day of Snowy Owl hunting today as the weather takes a turn for the worse next week. Its a very windy,harsh area on Lake Erie where these birds are. Twenty degrees and snow on Monday,low teens at night, means count me out on the hike to visit these guys. They could not have picked a colder spot around here. Wide open and right on the lake. They will have some privacy now, I am sure the weather is mild compared to what they withstand. Chill factors on that little corner of Presque Isle should be 30 below next week if there is any kind of wind.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
10 years ago
Great pics of such inscrutable looking birds. Maybe they're thinking these paparazzi can't possibly survive the chill factors that are sure to come sooner or later.

Glad you could stick it out for a while and get the pictures for us.

Claire
mikealfred16
10 years ago
this snowy owl is very unique and very rare in the world, we can say it is the King of the Night.

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